Black Youth Face Bias in Justice System
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WASHINGTON — A black youth is six times more likely to be locked up than a white peer, even when charged with a similar crime and when neither has a prior record, says a civil rights report contending racial bias exists throughout the juvenile justice process.
Many policies and practices have led to a “cumulative disadvantage” for black and Latino youth, civil rights leaders and youth advocates said Tuesday as they released the report by the Youth Law Center. The National Council on Crime and Delinquency, a criminal justice think tank, did the research.
Minority youth are more likely than white youth who commit comparable crimes to be referred to juvenile court, be detained, face trial as adults and be jailed with adults, the report said.
“It is astounding our nation can tolerate such gross inequality,” said William Spriggs, director of research and public policy for the Urban League.
Researchers used data from state and federal arrest records, juvenile court actions, waivers to adult court and incarceration.
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